Gals

Gals (French Chules, berndt. Gaus ) is a municipality in the administrative district in the canton of Bern Seeland in Switzerland.

Geography

The municipal area covers parts of the Zihlebene with the Zihlkanal and Jolimont, at the northwestern foot, the main settlement is located. The western and northern boundary of the municipality is the Zihlkanal, this is also the cantonal border to the Canton of Berne Canton of Neuchâtel. To the south lie from west to east the communities Gampelen, Tschugg and Erlach. On the eastern side of the municipality it is reaching Lake Biel. On the other Zihlseite poking from west to east, the municipalities of La Tène, Cornaux, Cressier and Le Landeron. The present municipality was created as a result of the first Jura water correction, in which the boundaries have been moved.

History

The area has long been inhabited. To date, three Neolithic riverside settlements have been found, at least partially located on the present-day municipality. Even a large, Bronze Age village could be detected. On Jolimont is grave hills are from the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. It was also found a burial ground from the late Iron Age. When Niederhölzli already existed in the Iron Age, a bridge over the Zihl, it has been renovated several times and fell in the 1st century BC. It must also be accepted from found pieces of road that a Roman bridge existed. This was not answered dig at the Jura waters corrections. In addition, also since the Iron Age was at Zihlbrücke a bridge, there was the Roman bridge be detected. The municipality must have been settled during the Roman period, diagonally opposite on the other Zihlseite at Wavre was a Roman city. The traces found suggest a bridgehead settlement or a group of farms. From the time of the migration comes a burial ground, which is located on the Ruefgumme east of the village. In the 12th and 13th century the Abbey of St. Johannsen in several steps got manorial position on Gals. With the Reformation was St.Johannsen from the Abbey of the bailiwick. It included only the community Gals. It was not until 1551, the villagers were released from bondage. With the dissolution of the Helvetic Republic in 1803, the bailiwick was not restored, but is inserted in the district Erlach.

The place name is probably from Gals pre-Roman times. The French name Chules is no longer used today.

Attractions

• The former Abbey of St. Johannsen ( now home to the action center St. Johannsen )
• The Jolimontgut

Policy

The voter shares of the parties at the national elections of 2011 were: SVP 32.0 %, 21.3 % BDP, SP 17.2 %, 6.6 % GPS, glp 6.4 %, FDP 5.4 %, 4.6 % EPP, CVP 2.5 %, EDU 2.4 %.